Conrad Vetter

Preacher and polemical writer, b. at
Engen in the present Grand Duchy of Baden, 1547; d. at Munich, 11
October, 1622. He entered the priesthood and vigorously championed
the Catholic cause in speech and writing. While prefect of music
in the collegiate church for nobles, at Hall, he became more
thoroughly informed concerning the Society of Jesus. As all he
learned of it agreed with his desires, he asked to be received
into the Society, and in 1576 entered the novitiate at Munich.
After completing his studies he was made academic preacher at
Munich, on account of his unusual gift for oratory. He
subsequently preached for several years at Ratisbon, where many
Lutherans were brought back to the Church by his sermons. At the
same time Vetter developed an extraordinary activity as a writer.
It is stated that his writings, large and small, number nearly one
hundred; they were chiefly polemical. Unfortunately the tone is
ordinarily not very refined. Vetter used all the coarseness of
which the Swabian tongue is capable to disparage Luther; so that
involuntarily Luther's similar style is recalled. In spite of
this, or perhaps exactly for this reason, the little books found a
large sale and were often reprinted. Catholic contemporaries
sought to defend Vetter's method of writing, among them was Duke
Maximilian who defended him against the Count Palatine of Neuburg.
He was highly regarded by the Dukes of Bavaria, William V, and
Maximilian.